brain that were Dick Everard's. As bold and dominant as any
ruffler of them all where men and perils were concerned, young
Everard was timid, bashful and without assertiveness with
women. He had withdrawn from the contest ere it was well
lost, leaving an easy victory to his friend.

And how had that friend used it? Most foully, as you shall
learn.

Leaving Rotherby in Normandy, Everard had returned to Paris.
The affairs of his king gave him cause to cross at once to
Ireland. For three years he abode there, working secretly in
his master's interest, to little purpose be it confessed. At
the end of that time he returned to Paris. Rotherby was gone.
It appeared that his father, Lord Ostermore, had prevailed
upon Bentinck to use his influence with William on the errant
youth's behalf. Rotherby had been pardoned his loyalty to the
fallen dynasty. A deserter in every sense, he had abandoned
the fortunes of King James - which in Everard's eyes was bad
enough - and he had abandoned the sweet lady he had fetched
out of Normandy six months before his going, of whom it seemed
that in his lordly way he was grown tired.

>From the beginning it would appear they were ill-matched. It
was her beauty had made appeal to him, even as his beauty had
enamoured her. Elementals had brought about their union; and
when these elementals shrank with habit, as elementals will,
they found themselves without a tie of sympathy or common
interest to link them each to the other. She was by nature
blythe; a thing of sunshine, flowers and music, who craved a